A long time ago, in the Ice Age
by Rosalinde
Summary: Earth Children meets Star Wars. Chapter 3 added! Will Ayla learn the secret of the force? Will Broud wield a lightsaber? This and more will be revealed.
1. Default Chapter

An irreverent crossover of Jean Auel's Earth Children and Star Wars. Of course I don't own any rights to the character, I just steal them for my own maniacal purposes.   
  
A long, long, long time ago in a place not so far away....  
  
(Majestic classical like music with an undertone of primitive drums)  
  
A young girl gazed longingly at the world beyond the caves. Somewhere out there lay more excitement and adventure than these short funny looking people can even imagine. She sighed and put away her sling.   
  
"Ayla!" A guttural sound made her turn to her adopted mother, Iza. The woman motioned, "I need some fresh herbs and make sure you get something that cures Botchi this time."  
  
"I'll try," she motioned back, "but at this late in the season there's not much of a choice." In a few long strides, she scooped up her basket and digging stick and set off into the forest. Rose hips, chamomile but no Botchi," she muttered and went on searching.  
  
Suddenly, a whimpering noise caught her attention. Curious, she parted the leaves of a cluster of brush and smiled. There lay the cutest cave lion cub curled up and, "oh you're hurt!" Blood streaked across his head and stained the ground beneath. Quickly, she gathered him up amid his protesting growls. He was too weak to protest. Gathering her treasure, she went back to the cave.  
  
Brun, the former leader of the Clan, was just outside the cave and scowled and at her bundle. "You can't bring that in the cave."  
  
"But he's hurt, I must heal him," Ayla exclaimed. The healing side of her balked at leaving an innocent and helpless creature to die.  
  
The former leader shook his head and gestured, "no, animals are for eating, not for healing."  
  
"Either he comes or we both go!"   
  
"Then you both go!" Broud, the leader of the Clan shouted and cuffed the insolent woman. "Ayla I curse you with death."  
  
"Give it up," Ayla goaded. "We all know you can still see me, and you're just afraid of a woman."  
  
"Now Ayla," Brun coaxed, "You have been death cursed. You have to stop speaking to us and being mean to him. It's time for you to go."  
  
Broud gloated as the woman crested the ridge and was out of sight. "Now we shall test my secret weapon."  
  
Brun raised an eyebrow, "what in the world could you make with sticks and stones?"  
  
"It's called a light saber, and I can kill the Others with it, including that insolent woman. She'll lead us to them and then they die out instead of us."  
  
"A not-heavy-saver?" Brun asked confused by his son's gestures.  
  
"A L-I-G-H-T S-A-B-E-R!" He gestured impatiently, "like a sword only made of light."  
  
Brun shrugged already bored. "I don't think your plan will work. Even if you killed all the others, we're still not equipped to survive past the ice age. Look at these thick bones and semi-mobile arms! Besides, I'd rather we didn't see the day of women's lib.  
  
Broud sneered at the man who had raised him. "You will see the power of the force, and you will believe." 


	2. Chapter 2

She traveled north for a long time, looking for people like herself. "Iza said they lived in this area. But what would she know, she's never been here!"   
  
Frustration and hunger ate at her while the endless wind and loess assaulted her senses. Suddenly, a figure on horseback came galloping toward her. Startled at the strange apparition, she hid behind a rock.  
  
"I'm Danug Waterwalker, here to rescue you princess Ayla!" The man jumped down and gestured for her to come with him.  
  
"Who says I need rescuing?" Ayla demanded of the tall good looking man.  
  
"The Flatheads are conspiring to take over the Pleistocene era. And you're a prime target. Let's go before they get their light sabers and come after us!"  
  
"Life Savers? Why should we be afraid of candy?"  
  
"LIGHT SABERS!" he shouted in impatience.  
  
Thinking that this man may need a healer for his head, she reluctantly went with him, bundling the cub in a fold of her cloak. A few miles away, they stopped the horse and Danug let out a long whistle. Suddenly, a happy yelping errupted as a very large wolf emerged from cover. Ayla's eyes widened when she saw another man follow the Wolf.   
  
"Ayla, meet Jon Solo," Danug stated. The man winked slyly at her giving her a roguish impression that set her heart fluttering. He quickly mounted his own horse and they set off toward the east.  
  
While admiring Jon's handsome shoulders and wild hair, she noticed him stiffen suddenly. Glancing at Danug , she noticed he was tense also. Wolf's ears were pricked up and listening.  
  
"Flathead bogies on our tail," Jon said flatly.  
  
"I saw them." Quickly, Danug pulled out a large ugly tube like thing. From somewhere else he produced a root; a potato, to be exact.   
  
The flatheads rushed on them suddenly; grunting and voicing strange war like sounds. Danug and Jon were ready. Quickly loading their launchers, they fired.  
  
Thunk! Thunk! The potatoes flew and hit the first man in the chest. He gasped hard and fell to his knees, out of commission for awhile. In retaliation, large rocks were thrown at them.  
  
"Great, you give them vegetables and they give you rocks!" Ayla retorted angrily. "Some rescue. Follow me, cowboys!" Her hand was already emerging from a fold and came out swinging.  
  
Thunk! Thunk! This time small stones hit the flatheads in a more effective manner. Having had enough of rocks and vegetables battering them, the men stopped their pursuit as the odd trio galloped away.  
  
When they were at a safe distance, Danug grinned at her. "That was great! We showed them."  
  
"It was too easy," Ayla mused. "They let us get away."  
  
"Too easy?" Jon exclaimed, rubbing a huge bruise on his forehead. "That wasn't easy, sister. Besides, why would the let us get away?"  
  
Triumphantly Ayla revealed her lion bundle and turned him belly up to them. "Because this baby has the recipe for their sacred root juice tattooed to his belly. They don't want any of the Others to use it."  
  
"Great," Jon muttered. "We're protecting Sacred Root Beer." 


	3. Broud Vader's Secret Weapon

Chapter 3  
  
Broud Vader's Secret Weapon  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Amber leader to Ochre Red leader, do you copy?"  
  
"Quit playing around Frebec. Of course I copy, you're right behind the tree. Now be quiet and wait for my signal." Talut looked at the troublesome man in frustration. Their team's mission was to engage the flatheads in battle while Ayla and the other team got the sacred root.   
  
Talut raised his arm and bellowed, "charge!"  
  
Across the way, Ayla Organic, Danug Waterwalker, Ranec Calrisian and some others heard the roar. "That must be the signal," Ranec said.  
  
What would he know about 'the signal?' Ayla thought to herself. But followed as they stealthily made their way through the forest. The place wasn't far, and she quickly took her digging stick and turned up a few good size roots. Just as she was stuffing them in her pouch, a voice stopped her.  
  
"Ayla!" Followed by the sounds of moving arms of speaking. She didn't turn around and ignored what he was saying. Broud was livid with rage. How dare that insolent woman return and steal their sacred root!  
  
"Um, Ayla, there's a funny looking short guy that looks like he'd like to kill you over there," Danug stated flatly.  
  
She sighed in resignation and turned to Broud who now ignited his light saber. "What's that?"  
  
He grinned evilly at her. "This is the downfall of the Others. With this we will hunt you all down and destroy your race. It's called a light saber."  
  
The men looked at him in horror. This was it; this was the end for them. They had failed in their mission and failed their people. And most of all, they wouldn't be able to get the ultimate buzz from the sacred root beer.  
  
Ayla began laughing hysterically. "How...do...you...expect...to...kill...us?" She gasped in between guffaws.  
  
He shot her a scathing look. "By swinging it at you and cutting you down!" He roared.  
  
Her laughter doubled, and the men looked at her in consternation. "Do you think the shock made her lose her mind?" Ranec mused.  
  
"No, I'm still sane," she chortled. "It's just, he can't!" A torrent of laughter followed before she could find breath again. "His arms and shoulders don't have free range of movement. Just look at his physiology, he's made for strength, not sword wielding."  
  
Broud's expression turned to shock. Looking down at himself, he attempted to swing his arms around. "Zot!" He cried. "It wasn't enough for the insolent Mother to make us funny looking with a big useless brain, but to deprive us of free range of movement too. But no matter, I'll spear you with the sword instead."  
  
Having had enough of him, Ayla rolled her eyes and grabbed her sling. Swinging it quickly, a thunk! Thunk! Sounded. Broud lay with a huge gash in his head, the saber lying useless beside him.  
  
"Well I'll be a monkey's uncle," Danug said with awe.  
  
The team turned away to return to camp, mission successful. Suddenly, there was a scuffle from behind them. Whirling around, Ayla's eyes widened in shock and pleasure. Apparently Broud wasn't all done in, he had gotten up and was about to spring on her with his dirk. Jon Solo had leapt to the rescue, subduing the flathead.  
  
"Ayla," Broud gasped out. "Come with me and join the flatheads again."  
  
"Never! I'll never come back," she hissed.  
  
"You underestimate the power of the Creb. Come, and we can rule together as leader and insolent woman. Mog-ur taught you many things, but he didn't tell you about Durc. You do want to see your son again?" He had her full attention. "But Mog-ur didn't tell you the truth. Ayla, I am his father. I'm the father of your child."  
  
"No! It can't be!" She protested strangely close to tears.  
  
"Search your thoughts Ayla, you know it be true!"  
  
Her thoughts were not good company at that moment. Turning, she fled away from the ugly bleeding Broud and headed back to camp. Jon Solo jumped on his steed and raced after her.   
  
"Ayla! You're coming with me. We need to rendezvous with the others at the end of the river." Wolf trotted obediently along, tongue lolling out.  
  
She turned to him and nodded. "But first we must go somewhere. I promised to go to the Zelondonii."  
  
"The Zelondonii? Isn't that a bit far?"  
  
"Don't worry Jon, I know what I'm doing. It's a promise to an old friend. Besides, we can use light speed travel." She thought of Mamut and the little training he had been able to give her. He had made her promise to visit the Zeldonii and seek out Zolena.  
  
"Make it so," Jon replied tugging his tunic self-consciously, "engage."  
  
Ayla rolled her eyes. "Wrong science fiction story." 


End file.
